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"Whakarongo Soap Factory Destroyed"

Description: This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 10 July 1961 "The remains of the Whakarongo Soap Company's premises seen today still smouldering and small fires burning hours after the initial alarm was raised. The factor manager (Mr. F.J. Long) is standing in the foreground. Mr. Long told a "Manawatu Standard" photographer this morning that he first noticed the fire when he awoke at 5 a.m. today, finding the power was off. His first thoughts were for the 1000 chickens he had in an unused part of the factory. With what he thought to be a power failure he rose to start a diesel motor which supplied electricity. On leaving the house he found the factory ablaze. The telephones in the vicinity were all out of order and so a passing motorist was stopped and he advised the Palmerston North Fire Brigade. All the chickens were lost in the blaze."